Scientific definitions for apgar score

Apgar score

[ ăp′gär ]

A score that assesses the general physical condition of a newborn infant by assigning a value of 0, 1, or 2 to each of five criteria: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, skin color, and response to stimuli. The five scores are added together, with a perfect score being 10. Apgar scores are usually evaluated at one minute and five minutes after birth. The Apgar score is named for the system's deviser, American physician Virginia Apgar (1909-1974).